#1. http://www.ranker.com/list/list-of-famous-archeologists/reference
I hate to break it to the list makers but maybe 2 of those people on the list are actually or were actually famous. One was an anthropologist not an archaeologist even though they place the word archaeologist beside her picture.
#16 & #17 are the only ones who could claim to be famous, the rest are far from any notoriety. But that is the problem with making lists, someone will always disagree with the selections.
Remember, believers are not to elevate the human but be grateful to God that Christian men and women obeyed God and taught the truth. I do not see any Christians on that list even though there are many who participate in the field of archaeology so the criteria for inclusion is suspect.
The Colorado Civil Rights Commission has upheld an administrative judge’s ruling that a Christian baker in the state must service same-sex ‘weddings’ despite his biblical beliefs not to be a partaker in other men’s sins.
Do not be fooled. Unbelievers do NOT share the same ideas when it comes to sin and do not expect unbelievers to side with the believer when it means going against popular culture and standing alone against the majority.
However, after their arrival at the cake shop, Mullin and Craig were advised by owner Jack Phillips that he does not make cakes for same-sex ceremonies.
“My first comment was, ‘We’re getting married,’ and he just shut that down immediately,” Craig, 31, stated.
Homosexuals simply deceive themselves. They are not ‘getting married’ but going through a wedding ceremony and trying to convince themselves that they are married. The Christian baker did not shut down the same-sex couple’s plans, that is a distortion for they could always go to another baker to get their cake.
The homosexual delights in forcing people to do their bidding even though they would react angrily and hate it when they are forced to do something against their beliefs. One of the things that bothers me about this trend to support same-sex marriage. The supporters whine and cry about the rights of the homosexual being violated, etc., YET have no problem in violating the rights of those who disagree with the practice.
#3. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/exploringourmatrix/2014/05/blaming-the-bible.html
The above cartoon by David Hayward depicts people who long to come together, but the Bible shackles them and holds them back.
I don’t think this is what happens in most cases.
We recently saw a Southern Baptist pastor, Danny Cortez, change his mind about gays and lesbians (see also Matthew Vines’ book on the topic). While some Christians have spent much of their time slandering others, some within the same traditions have collaborated with those their fellow-religionists have slandered.
It isn’t slander to tell someone they are wrong and sinning. The Bible is not holding anyone back who agrees with it. The Bible brings the words of God to the people, those who cannot agree with those words will do anything to make the Bible the enemy and the above is a good example of that.
Those who accept alternatives to the biblical record and teaching do not get it. No matter what they do no matter what they claim about the Bible, the truth does not change and the message is clear. If you disagree with the Bible, it is not the Bible that is wrong.
#4. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/exploringourmatrix/2014/05/facts-should-change-your-beliefs.html
I obviously agree with the sentiment. No one should think that this stance is an atheist one. Certainly, many atheists are committed to being rational. But if you have talked to an atheist who is an anti-vaxxer or a Jesus-mythicist, then you realize the two are not synonymous. Likewise there is a long and rich history of liberal religion that was at the forefront of pioneering the changing of beliefs when facts and evidence required it.
The problem with this argument is that the alternative believer and the unbeliever use the word ‘facts’ as a one-way street–their way only. They refuse to allow any facts to lead them to God or belief in his word.
They feel that no matter how flawed science is, how badly designed it is and no matter how many times scientists say ‘ we do not know’ people flock to science like it is an authority on everything. That is their mistake for science done wrong doesn’t bring facts but lies and unless you are cautious you could wind up accepting the wrong idea.
If you search the Bible, history, and other subjects you will find that the only item God bestowed authority on was the Bible. Everything else is a simple tool to further men’s understanding of the world around us and not to usurp authority from the Bible
#5. http://ntweblog.blogspot.kr/2014/05/maurice-casey-1942-2014.html
I was so sad to hear of the death of Prof. Maurice Casey at the weekend (see JimWest, Dominic Mattos, Larry Hurtado, Jim Davila). Anyone familiar with contemporary New Testament scholarship will know of the massive contribution that he has made.
Jim West likes to whine and complain that the deaths of scholars does not get the same press as the deaths of the fading sports star or celebrity. There is a simple reason for this fact–the scholar is usually very unknown, does nothing for the general population and by that I mean entertain or anything of that nature.
The scholar is usually locked away in their ivory towers pontificating on minute unimportant details of either biblical verses or languages. The circles they are known in are usually very small and populated by elitists or scholars and their influence is just as limited as there is another scholar just down the way disagreeing with his points of view.
In other words, the fading sports star or celebrity touches the lives of many even though they do not personally know any of those they have influenced. The scholar may know his students but his students are few and so he does not touch or influence the lives of the masses.
Also, the scholar may be advocating false teaching which makes him a false teacher and that is not a status one praises or idolizes.
In fact there is a growing “biblical unitarian” or “One God” movement that is making significant inroads within a variety of evangelical Christian circles. See the following links for a few examples:
Be careful when people claim to be a member of your faith yet bring in false teaching to the church or your attention. Just because they claim to be evangelical or Christian doesn’t mean they have not been put on the road of deception and are not being deceived.
He was born in Spain in 1511 and died in 1553, at age 42, burnt at the stake as a heretic by John Calvin’s Geneva Council. He was a brilliant scientist and his field was primarily medicine, but it was his theological views that led to his universal condemnation by both Catholics and Protestants… Servetus has even penetrated the Evangelical Christian world a bit after 500 years. Pro-Golfer and Evangelical writer Kermit Zarley, under the pen name of “Servetus the Evangelical,” published a book titled The Restitution of Jesus Christ. You can visit his website at servetustheevangelist.com. Zarley’s work is impressive, all 600 pages.
If it disagrees with the Bible then it is not correct and you are to dismiss it.